The Real World, Cath
by paintmywords
Summary: Cath has returned to college for her second year. But this year might be a little harder. With such things as a new class Wren has forced her to take and a unwanted mother making a return, can Cath control her life or will she fall back again.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, thank you for checking out my first Fangirl fanfic. Please leave a comment or rate because I would love to hear from you. I am open to ideas or comments because you guys are the point of this story.**

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Cath laid back on her bed. She closed her eyes and tried to take in everything through her other senses. To slow down her sudden jitters. The summer was over and she was back at the Pound building. Cath was excited about coming back to school, but at the same time the black hole had slowly reformed in the pit of her stomach.

New worries about simple things. Classes, the dorm, and Levi. Sadly, she had not been able to see him much during the almost three months. And during those very short visits, Cath did meet Levi's mother. Cath might not be as wild as Reagan or as...interesting. Reagan was a wild fire compared to the mousy girl. Not that it mattered to the mother of all mothers.

Poor Cath was not use to such a woman fussing over her boyfriend. Or anyone for that matter. "That's just how she it," Levi muttered softly into her ear while they were at his sister's wedding reception. "She will grow to like you. Mom just needs time."

In real time, the old wooden door flew open showing off it's new scar from Reagan's boots. "Hey, bitch." The red head stumbled into the room with her piles of boxes. Cath had to stifle a laugh at the image before her. That did not stop the red head's eyes from flashing over at her. "No. You don't laugh. Help me with this shit."

"Get a boy toy to help you," Cath grabbed her pillow and tried to use it as a shield. She did not trust the _dangerous_ roommate to not throw something at her.

Instead Reagan sighed. "Sophomores. They think they are the fucking shit." Both girls started to laugh and rolled their eyes. Cath sat up in her bed and started to drink in her friend. Reagan still looked like she could have any guy she ever wanted. She was toned to a T with her skin giving off a summer glow. _She must have stayed outside all summer_, Cath smiled at that thought. Maybe not much had really changed.

Suddenly a knock brought the girls back out of their moment to realise that the door was still open.

And that a boy stood in that door way.

Levi smiled brightly at his girlfriend and his best friend. The smile shone like a bright beacon that drew Cath from her sea of doubt. This year was going to be different. This year, she was not just going to survive.

Or that was what everyone was telling her.

A new tension squeezed itself into the room between the couple, who had not taken any steps toward each other. Both were two busy drinking in the sight of each other to remember or take note that someone else was in the room. That is until a sudden cough attracted their attention. Both quickly turned their heads to Reagan who had her arms folded across her chest. "Are you going to hug and kiss or just mentally take off each others pants?"

"That comment goes against the rules!" Levi pointed out as he turned his bright smile into a bright smirk. Cath joined in by sending her own sarcastic smirk to her cringing roommate.

Reagan just rolled her eyes and started to walk to the door. "Whatever. I'm going to get some food." She turned back to the happy couple and gave them another sigh. "And please, if you do anything in this room, keep it on her," she pointed to Cath, "and Simon's side." With that, the door closed.

In the safety of the closed off room, Cath leaped away from her bed and crashed into the tall blond. She couldn't stop herself as her lips started to trail their way to his. They climbed over his adams apple to her favorite spot where the lean turned into a little bit of fat. Before her lips reached their destination, Levi pulled her back to stare into her eyes. "God, I have missed you," he whispered softly.

"I've missed you, too," Cath smiled until her cheeks hurt. Wren and her dad had been picking on her whenever they heard her cell ring. Then, if he ever decided to magically show up at her house, Wren would make up some kind of excuse to drag their father out of the house. Though none of that was enough for the couple.

For the first time since he walked in, Levi took in Cath's side of the room. She had already placed her laptop on to the desk along with her many Simon and Baz collection from her room at home. Even though the series had ended a few months ago with the last book, Cath had not given up her love for the characters. She had also finally ended _Carry On_ and decided to start up another fanfic. With Wren as her beta.

Along with her collection, a few pictures of her dad, her, and Wren covered her desk. Their relationship still had some pits and weak ends, but that was expected. _No family is perfect._

Suddenly, Cath turned to the sound of Levi chuckling. She followed his eyes to her bedside table to find what made him laugh. Instantly she felt a rush of heat fill her cheeks.

"My mother has been looking for that picture for weeks!" Levi pulled the blushing girl into a tight hug. On Cath's bedside table was a picture of Levi. When she was at his house meeting his family, she had found a picture of Levi from his freshman year of college. One of his sisters told her that she took it as he tried to walk out of his room, piled down with bags full of his cloths. His eyes were huge from the shock of the flash. The only picture of Levi that he didn't seem as posed. It was a tradition for the siblings and cousins.

Cath blinked for a second, before she turned back to Levi. "I thought she hated that picture." That was her only excuse to sneak it into her bag before she left.

A smirk played onto the boy's lips. "My mother is weird. It's like the day after you left she felt a disturbance in the force."

Cath let out a little growl with a soon followed giggle. "I love it when your nerd shows." This made Levi roll his eyes. A trait that he was starting to pick it up from the twins. "Come on," Cath grabbed his hand and started to pull him to the door. "I think dad is still downstairs. He said something about taking us out to eat."

"Food truck?"

Cath nodded and opened the door to the world she had been missing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Happy 4th! I do not own any of Rainbow's characters. I am still open for suggestions if anyone has any and the cover photo is from the artistic talent of Deviant Art's artist FullMetalViolinist. Thank you to everyone who read my last chapter, I hope you guys will like this one.**

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Class still sent her heart beating in panic. The first day of anything had always done that. New people that she didn't really care about meeting were forced into her world. Sadly, she was unable to have another class of Fiction Writing this semester. She had to fill her world with other classes instead of the one she loved to have.

Like with most of her classes, she had decided to sit near the front but far enough from her other classmates so that she did not have to make awkward eye contact. Even though she had open a bit more last year, she was still not that open with strangers. Strangers were just something that she couldn't get over.

For this particular class, it was not her first choice. Wren had somehow convinced Cath into taking a theatre class with her. "It's just an elective," her sister sighed as she packed her things in her boxes. Cath was trying her best to think of a way out.

"But it's theatre!" She hated how her voice whined. "I don't want to take a class where I have to be the center of attention."

Wren rolled her eyes. Suddenly, before Cath could do anything, her sister turned around and gave her the most pitiful puppy dog face. Ever since they were little, Wren had her way to convince Cath into doing things with her. Parties, outfits, or just trying something new. And the way to win over the precocious sister was to use the family's secret weapon. A weapon that was passed down from generation to generation.

The puppy dog face.

That was the whole reason that Cath was sitting on the far side of her theatre class while her sister was chatting with some old friends. Maybe it was stupid and selfish for her not to try to talk to Wren's friends, but Cath was just not in the mood. It would take a while before she would do that.

While she waited for the professor to walk in, Cath pulled out a worn out notebook. She might not like Nick anymore, but he did leave some effects on her. Such as the notebook that she filled with new ideas. Story ideas that she wanted to use in her fanfiction or in her next Fiction Writing class. If anyone else decided to open the notebook, they would be confused on where it started or ended.

But Cath understood it. She saw her order in the chaotic jumble of words that will later be flying on to her computer screen whenever she got back to the dorm. Her pencil was flying across the pages as plot ideas flowed before she noticed that the class had settled down. When she raised her head, Cath took in the man upfront.

From Wren, she had heard that the class was usually easy and held by one of the hottest professors. What Cath saw was not what she would consider "hot". His hair was starting to gray and a gut was pushing its way out. Still small, but noticeable. She rather have her lean Levi who was in another class across campus right now.

When the man smiled, it was not that special. His teeth had some traces of nicotine and Cath guessed that if she got close enough, she would be able to smell the cigarette smoke all over him. This did not stop the sound of girls swooning behind her, sadly.

"Good morning, class." From her seat, she couldn't tell what his eye color was, but she knew he wasn't looking at the class. Much. "My name is Professor Mitch Joel and for this semester, you will be learning about the world I have lived in my whole life. This is Theatre Appreciation."

Surprised he did not bow, the bored Cath thought. She could just yawn out of boredom.

"Now," Mr. Joel leaned against his desk. "Because this class is actually pretty small, I would like for you to introduce yourselves and, just to make this interesting, tell us about what you hope to do after college." Cath suddenly hated this class more than she already did. "And because I know how everyone hates to volunteer for something, I will be calling students from my list. So our first person will be," he paused for effect as if he listened to his own drum roll. "Ms. Cather Avery!"

Shit.

She could feel Wren's eyes on her as the man up front was losing his smile. Cath's breathings starting to hitch in her chest. The black hole from yesterday came back in full force. Why did I have to wear this sweater? My hair is pulled back. I can't hide my face. They are going to think something is wrong with me.

Suddenly, the sound of a chair scratching the floor echoed in the silent room. Mr. Joel's face turned and smiled brightly. The smile started to dim as Cath felt a hand grab her arm and softly pull her up.

"My name is Wren Avery." Cath just stared at the floor. "This is my sister, Cath. Just Cath." Wren took hold of the Shy sister's hand and held it tight. Through that Cath was able to find some words.

"I-I want t-to write after college." She didn't look up from the floor but she felt a great weight roll of her chest. "And my s-sister would like to go into advertising." This is what family was for. Wren squeezed her hand again and Cath could feel a rush of pride wash through her. Family sticks together no matter what.

"I can't believe he did that," Wren moaned as they stepped into the Pound elevator. They had decided to work on Cath's new fanfiction together since they did not have any other classes. "Most teachers would never even dream of doing that. And what's more, he made a fucking sarcastic comment about how you should have been able to do it alone!"

Cath just shrugged and let her sister rant. She felt as if the professor was a little right. She was a nineteen-year-old college student now. No one was able to baby her anymore, so she should be able to talk to strangers and not have a panic attack. Cath started biting the inside of her mouth. She wasn't always like this. She used to be more stable.

But for her sister, she threw out her thoughts and opened her dorm door.

Wren sighed as she threw herself into Cath's bed. "Still can't get over that you killed Baz though." Normal conversations were safer.

"What else was I supposed to do with him?" Cath laughed as she remembered the day she secretly went around her two betas and published the end of the story. The one where Baz was killed as he tried to save Simon's life. It had spark so much controversy in the FanFixx world that the server actually ended up crashing. "It's an idea I have been playing with for too long. It needed to be released."

"Not like that!" Wren's voice turned an octave higher and she threw a pillow at Cath. This started the great pillow war between sisters. Even after Reagan bursted through the door and slowly backed right out. The girls continued this war until Levi returned from his shift and started to gang up on Wren.

"Not fair!"

Levi lifted the pillow (off of Reagan's bed) high over his head. "All is fair in love and war!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, guys. Here is the third chapter. I would like to thank FanficTimeWithAlyssum for the wonderful comment I am still recovering from. This chapter is kind of fluff...okay a lot of fluff. But Cath deserves fluff in this story. Anyway, hope you guys love it. Leave a comment for support or to say you would like to see a little more of something else because I do not mind stuffing it in here by request. Thank you for reading this and again, I hope you like it! P.s. sorry for it being so short today!**

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Cath laid back into Levi's chest, snuggling into his warm body with Simon Snow and the Six White Hares. She had started to reread the series, trying to grasp on to everything that was left of the relationship between Baz and Simon. Levi on the other hand, had his earplugs in studying for the first test of his class.

Another class about buffalos.

They had both decided that while Levi needed to study, they should do it in his room. This was where no one in their right minds would try to find them. Cath was there because she still wanted to be near Levi, but she made a few arrangements. During his studying, Cath would read her own book so she would not disturb him. She did not want to have a repeat of last year. Two, if she stayed the night, she would make him turn it off by eleven. He won't tell anyone, but sometimes his studying can go past reasonable hours and Cath didn't like that.

After hours of comfortable silence between the two, Cath placed the book on her lap and gave a giant stretch. Rereading it had brought up an old wonderful taste into her mouth. The story made her remember things like waiting in line with Wren the day it came out, or writing every story because of this one book with her sister. This was a connection she had to her sister and Cath loved the feeling of it.

To her movement, Levi turned his head to her. His smile was soft and a little tired by the information pouring out of his recorder. But the smile mixed in with Cath's old feelings to turn her stomach into a field of cotton candy. There was no 'heart fluttering'. Just her stomach.

"What are you looking at?" Levi was pulling his earplugs out. To Cath it was sort of violent for him to grab the cord and pull.

Rolling her eyes, Cath picked her book back up. "Oh, nothing." She had gotten better at making her voice light and airy. "And if you keep treating your headphones like that, you are going to have to get another pair."

She didn't have to look at him to hear his smile forming. His other arm draped around her, pulling her body closer to him. "If I didn't yank them out, I would worry that I did not hear what you said." The cotton candy transformed into a horde of butterflies. Their wings flapped harder when he nuzzled into her neck.

"So, how was the lecture?"

Levi cleared his throat and threw on his best "professor" voice. "Did you know, that the domestic buffalo is sometimes called the 'living tractor of the East'?" Cath smiled and shook her head. "City girl," he said as he clicked his tongue at her.

Oh, she had to get him for that. She rolled herself away from him, out of his arms, and onto the coldest part of his bed. "No kisses," she muffled into one of his pillows. They all smelled like him.

"No kisses?" A fake gasp made her giggle. When she looked at him to find the worst fake sad face in the world. The boy had a hard time taking down his smile because that was mostly what he was. Bright and blinding smiles. So, with him trying to frown, his face distorted in a way no face should distorte. "How shall I live?" he went on. "Your kisses are my life support, my only reason to live!"

Cath took the pillow she had and threw it at him. Making sure it hit it's mark. "Drama queen." Levi was trying to keep the act up, he soon didn't realise how close to the edge he had gotten until he fell off with a loud thunk. Cath crawled over to see if he was okay.

On the floor, Levi was sprawled with his skinny limbs poking in every direction. "Levi?" Cath couldn't contain her giggles. Her hand went to poke his chest when suddenly, Levi sprang to life. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down ontop of him. On the floor they were nothing but a mess of giggles and kisses until a knock from the door pulled at them.

"Keep your lovemaking down!"

Cath's cheeks flushed with silly embarrassment. Though it didn't bother Levi. Ignoring the door, he pulled Cath closer to him and kissed the top of her head. "I give you permission to turn this into some Simon and Baz fluff," he whispered into her ear. "Your fans would love it."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for this being a bit late, but I decided to take an interesting turn of events. Thank you to everyone who has been watching out for my story, but I have to say I will never be as good as Rainbow. She is just something out of this world. I hope that this chapter is something people were not expecting. It wasn't something I expected, eather. Well, anyway, keep loving the story. Share it with other fan girls or fan boys. I love hearing from you guys because you guys really do make my day. Enjoy!**

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"Cath, are you done packing yet?" Wren opened the door to find her sister still trying to decided on what was coming home and what was staying. They weren't going home for long. Just for Thanksgiving. Though, for Cath, it was an opportunity to switch out her collection a bit. At the moment, she was trying to decided if she should take home some of the Simon and Baz plushies or if she should take home the redrawn movie poster. Behind her, Wren gave out an exasperated sigh.

Cath just shrugged. "Why do you want to go home so fast?" It was not because her sister was already packed or anything. Wren was never the one who wanted to go home first. When she turned her head, she could see a twinkle in her twin's eyes.

"I want to get some stuff before we go. You and me are going to surprise dad with a huge turkey!" Wren jumped onto her sister's bed. Cath knew that Wren had always wanted to do this. Their dad just wasn't big on shopping. "And grandma sent me some recipes we could try. Not just green bean casserole." They both shared a laugh at the face Wren made.

Maybe it was time for a change.

Cath picked up the plushes and carefully placed them into her suitcase. "Dad did mention some kind of surprise when we got home." He had been keeping good tabs on his girls and Wren still left campus every weekend as she promised to do last year. He had already surprised them by keeping up with his running.

The girls turned when Reagan kicked the door open. "Fuck!" She held her hands over her head as if to protect herself as soon as she saw the two girls. "Don't hurt me!"

Levi was the one driving the twins back home. And the one staying the night for Thanksgiving. His mother had protested, but he finally won the battle by saying that Cath did not need his sisters picking on her again. The last time she was there, most of the girls swarmed around the mousy girl, trying to make her wear make up and put on dresses. "Don't you want Levi to see how pretty you are?" one of them had squeaked.

If her knight in shining armor had not saved her, Cath didn't want to know of what might have happened. She had complained to Levi that she still had nightmares about that day.

On the way home, the sisters enjoyed playing the radio and singing along until Levi had to put an end it it. ("I have to save my ears!") After that, the three of them discussed a scene that Cath was having some trouble with. This lead to off the wall ideas that bounced around in the tiny cab. Well, at that moment, the cab felt tinny to Cath. To have her boyfriend on one side and her sister on the other, Cath was perfectly happy.

"So, Wren," Levi put his turning signal on as he was about to enter an exist. "Do you have your own story in the works?"

The outgoing twin shook her head. "That is more of Cath's area. I just enjoy reading them right now." Cath felt her sister shrug her shoulders at the thought. "When Cath and I wrote together, it felt like I was eating good chocolate. But right now, I don't need any chocolate."

The shy sister felt her eyebrows furrow. "Chocolate?"

Wren let out a scoff. "Yeah, like, when you publish one of your stories, don't you get the feeling that you are rewarding yourself with some chocolate?" Both Levi and Cath turned their heads at the girl on the right of them. This made Wren laugh and shake her head. "Okay, so that's only me."

"A lot of things are only you." Wren stuck her tongue out her mirrored sister. This sent them into a fit of giggles taking them all the way to their house. Cath placed her hand on her boyfriend's knee and gave it a small squeeze. This was exactly how she was hoping things would go. Most of the best people in her lives coming together for one meal.

Then she saw the first of many things to throw her off. Right beside her father's beat up car, was a red corvertible. It showed bright against the dark clouds that were forming. Something wasn't right.

"Did grandma get a new car?" Cath felt something like panic form deep in the pit of her stomach. Before her twin could answer, three pairs of eyes saw the front door open to the girls' father. And behind him was a woman.

Laura.

Their dad's smile looked like it was stretched to it's limits. Cath felt his pain. It was the same pain that held her to her seat. The same pain that wrapped itself around her chest and made it hard to breath. The same pain she felt when she was a child saying good-bye to her mother.

The blond woman ran to the truck with a forced smile. "My darlings are home!" Who knew how cold those words would feel to the frozen girl. "Art and I have been waiting for you to come home." Levi grabbed Cath's hand for support, but she couldn't feel it. She was miles away.

Wren suddenly jumped out of the truck. Her hair was tossed around by the cold wind. "Laura," Cath felt the tears that her sister was holding back. "What are you doing here?" This was too much. This was a nightmare.

This was a nightmare.

This was a nightmare.

"Cath."

This couldn't be real.

"Cath."

Her chest hurt. It all hurt her.

"Cath!"

It was too much.

Her eyes opened, heart racing hard in her chest. She gasped around in the dark, trying to find anything to prove the dream wrong. Suddenly, a light was switched on from the other side of the room. A very small and familiar room. As Cath's eyes adjusted, she could make out the form of a very tanned body attached to a head of red.

"Cath, are you okay?"

She nodded and swallowed whatever vile substance was climbing up the back of her throat. Her hands found her glasses in hopes to hide whatever was in her eyes. Cath threw the sheets off of her and quickly walked to the small bathroom the two roommates shared.

Reagan moved in her bed. "Do you need me to call Levi?" What was with her? Why was she being so...overprotective?

"No," Cath took a handful of tap water and splashed it in her face. "I'll be okay." She tried not to catch herself in the mirror. Cath wasn't okay. She was so close to losing it again. Ever since her mom tried to come back into her lives, Cath was on edge. Not because it was the mother who left her coming back into their lives as if nothing happened. That just pissed her off.

It was the fear of her coming back and then leaving again that killed Cath.


End file.
